Viewing Art Seps / Layers on iPad

[BRGtshirts]

Hi, wondering if anyone on here knows of an easy way to view a sep file's layers on an iPad? We are working on ways to view dots on sim process jobs, etc. on the shop floor. We have a CTS so no films to view. Xitron is our RIP.

I don't believe Acrobat or any of the apps I've found can do this. Basically, a mobile RIP viewer?!

Thanks a bunch, Will

[Sbrem]

You could try using PS to convert each channel to a bitmap halftone, then in Illustrator, you can lay them on top of each other, then same the file as something viewable on an iPad, like a pdf. I don't think it would be very exact, but in the neighborhood.

Steve

[Colin]

Sbrem is right - You would have to convert to halftone in photoshop to see what the dots look like.

Are you trying to asses whether or not you are missing dots during exposure/washout?

[BRGtshirts]

Colin,

Yes, we'd like to see the dots (looking more on press vs. during washout). Mainly to compare details, etc. on press vs. the artwork. We had thought of the bitmap option as well, just seems like a lot of steps.

Thanks both for the feedback.

[Colin]

It is a lot of steps!

Are you currently loosing detail?  Have you double checked your emulsion resolution/eom/exposure times to make sure everything is dialed in?

[Sbrem]

It is a lot of steps!

Are you currently loosing detail?  Have you double checked your emulsion resolution/eom/exposure times to make sure everything is dialed in?

Agreed, but you get faster as you go along. And, you could record an Action that would cut down the time a little. I've saved many a 1 color continuous tone image this way, place it on a mockup, save as a pdf, and send it to the customer. If they open it with a pdf viewer, then they can zoom in and see the dots pretty much as they will appear, except for the dot gain...

Steve

[BRGtshirts]

I think our exposure is pretty good. We run tests every now and then and get acceptable results. Same with EOM.

I like the Actions idea. My artist and I were discussing that. I told him that we could run that and then save each color sep as it's own page.. so a 5-color separation would be a 5-page document.. That way we'd be able to see the dots by themselves.

I think it's something we'll keep in our back pocket. Does not come up a whole lot, so probably kicking it down the road. Sometime I'll play with the actions and see if I can figure out anything that works.

[ZooCity]

Can't speak to the ipad part of the question but your Xitron RIP should be pumping out 1bit tiff files yes?   Should just need access to the server folder with them and any device that can view a tiff.  When we were CTS we used Harlequin RIP and could open the files on windows to check if needed.

[StinkyDaddy]

Procreate can open PS files on an ipad.